


The kickstart killer

by AlexAuthor



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin
Genre: Alternate Origin Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23214178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexAuthor/pseuds/AlexAuthor
Summary: A familiar origin story with a new spin.  The kickstarter killer kidnaps two acrobats and crowdsources their lives. When the funding falls short the two parents are dropped to their death on a live feed in front of their child.
Kudos: 4





	The kickstart killer

Richard blinked. The bright red 98.23% seared itself into his brain. $982,381 Pledged of $1,000,000 goal. . . Funding unsuccessful.  
The bright light of the monitor winked out and he was left in darkness. Then almost as suddenly the screen brightened again though this time the monitor showed something new. Two people hanging upside down. Their knees bent around the trapeze bars, duct tape wrapped around their thighs and ankles. Richards felt an explosion in his chest. Then another. And another. The machine gun firing of his heart beating as fast and as hard as it ever had. He screamed.  
There was no warning. No monologue from the villain. No dramatic music or preamble. Just a small click as the magnet holding his parents aloft lost power. He heard his mother suck in air to begin screaming. She never had the chance.  
It was like being dropped in freezing water. His senses ceased to function. He began shivering uncontrollably, he gasped a thousand times without taking in a single breath.  
A dull pain slowly crept up his body and he realized he had fallen to his knees on the cold cement floor.  
This kind of thing wasn’t supposed to happen. Not here. Not to them. Not now.  
He was supposed to stop things like this. He was supposed to be keeping this city safe. . .

Richard was in a large room. Men in uniforms walked to and fro. GPD badges bright against their dark blue coats. 

He was in an office. A large desk obscured a tall man with leather suspenders and a moustache. 

He was in an orphanage. Kids tried to play with him for a while. Then they gave up. 

He was sitting on a bench in the courtyard. 

“Richard?”  
He roused a little at the sound of his name.  
“Richard?” the voice repeated.  
He nodded.  
“My name is Bruce. I’m here to offer you a new home.”  
Richard blinked. He turned his head and took in the man sitting next to him on the bench.  
A clean shaven man in a black greatcoat stared at the ground in front of them with ice blue eyes. The man rested his hands elbows on his knees and interlocked his fingers in front of him. Hands with large round scabs around the knuckles.  
“What happened to your hands?”  
The man let out a huff that might almost have been a chuckle.  
“What happened to yours?”  
Richard examined the backs of his own hands and noticed a similar pattern of scabs. His brow furrowed.  
“I hear you've been fighting with the other kids.” Said Bruce.  
“I guess.”  
“I suppose I can't fault you for that. . . look. . . I’m . . .” Bruce took a deep breath.  
“I’m very sorry for what happened to your parents. I thought I could help this city with the mantle I chose, not the one I inherited. . . and. . . that was foolish.”  
Richard looked at Bruce's face and saw tears sparkling in his eyes.  
“I’m so sorry Richard. I wanted to be above money, but when a family depended on it. I was running around the city homeless. I won’t make that mistake again.”  
Bruce stood up and offered his hand to Richard.  
“Come on. We have a lot of work to do if we’re going to find your parents killers.”  
Richards eyes widened. He stared at Bruce’s hand for a long second. Then he took it and let the man pull him to his feet.  
“Where are we going?” asked Richard.  
“First we have to go pick up an old friend of mine. Then it’s time to start work on Wayne Manor.”

**Author's Note:**

> I used this writers prompt from "The Writer's Idea Thesaurus"
> 
> "After a circus acrobat is abducted, the circus owner receives a ransom note demanding an outrageous sum. The kidnappers apparently assume the acrobat possesses a fortune - but no one has any knowledge of his finances."


End file.
